In many cases, there is demand for food and drink packaging to have a high barrier effect with respect to gases, water vapor and flavors. For this reason, use is usually made of polypropylene films which have been metalized or have been coated with polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC). However, metalized polypropylene films are not transparent and are therefore not used in cases where the view of the contents is likely to have added promotional effect. Although films coated with PVDC are transparent, the coating, like the metalizing, takes place in a second operation which makes the packaging markedly more expensive. Ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymers (EVOH) likewise exhibit a strong barrier effect. However, films modified with EVOH are particularly highly sensitive to moisture, and this limits their range of application. In addition, because of their poor mechanical properties they have relatively high thickness or have to be laminated with other materials at high cost, and they are also difficult to dispose of after use. In addition to this, some raw materials are not approved by the authorities or are unsuitable for producing food and drink packaging.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a transparent, biaxially oriented polyester film which is simple and cost-effective to produce, has the good physical properties of the known films, and does not give rise to disposal problems.